Philip Pulls A Surprise With Bills On Recycling

May 06, 1991|By Dan Culloton, Chicago Tribune.

SPRINGFIELD — James ``Pate`` Philip the environmentalist?

The normally pro-business conservative Senate Republican leader from Wood Dale was looking a little greener after ushering two pro-recycling bills through the Senate Energy and Environment Committee last week.

Panel members, journalists, lobbyists and hangers-on in the hearing room could barely contain their laughter as Philip presented bills that would require anyone who sells new tires to accept the used tires from customers, and give municipalities until Jan. 1 to make available recycling programs for residents who wish to separate their garabage.

When committee chairman Sen. Patrick Welch (D-Peru) read off the litany of environmental groups that supported the Republican leader`s bills, Philip quipped: ``I must really be a do-gooder.``

After Philip`s bills sailed through the panel to the Senate floor, Welch, who saw his own panel reject three of his bills, asked Philip: ``Do you have a couple of minutes, senator? I have a couple of bills I`d like you to handle.``

A proposal that would require dog trainers to be licensed and prohibit them from abusing canines incited howls of protest from a pack of legislators and state officials last week.

Members of the Senate Insurance, Pensions and Licensed Activities Committee and state regulators argued the bill was unnecessary and would be impossible to enforce. The proposal was inspired by alleged dog abuse at an obedience school formally located in Elmhurst.

Sen. Arthur Berman (D-Chicago) said the state could not afford to license all of Illinois` dog trainers, who are difficult to track down because they do not attend any school to learn their trade. He said the problem could be solved by bringing them under the Humane Treatment to Animals Act.

The legislation grew out of allegations by Westchester dog owner Kathleen Lightfoot, who contended she witnessed trainers beating animals at an obedience school last spring. She and a friend took their concerns to Elmhurst police and several state agencies, who did not take action.

The maximum amount of property taxes that the Du Page Airport Authority could collect annually would shrink to $325,000 from $9.75 million in five years under a plan endorsed by the Senate Executive Committee.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Doris Karpiel (R-Roselle), would reduce the cap on the airport property tax rate from .075 percent to .0025 percent by 1996.

The House Executive Committee has already rejected a similar proposal, offered by Rep. Mary Lou Cowlishaw (R-Naperville). Cowlishaw had wanted to completely eliminate the authority`s taxing power immediately, but state officials said the airport would not be able to capture federal funds without a levy.